Kolkata, Feb 13 (PTI) TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Thursday reaffirmed that the party will contest the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections alone, maintaining its 'Ekla Chalo' (go it alone) policy in the state, while remaining a constituent of the opposition INDIA bloc at the Centre.

Speaking at a free health camp 'Sebashray' in his Diamond Harbour constituency's Satgachhia, Banerjee asserted that TMC had successfully contested elections independently in the past and would continue to do so.

"Didi (Mamata Banerjee) has already made it clear that we will fight alone in Bengal. This is nothing new. We fought alone in 2014, 2016, 2019, and 2024. We performed well then, and we will do so again," he said.

Banerjee dismissed claims that an alliance with the Congress could have prevented BJP's winning 12 seats in the Lok Sabha elections in Bengal, saying, "Ultimately, it is the people's support that matters. Whether we fight alone or in an alliance, it does not make much difference. At best, there could have been a two-to-four seat difference, nothing more." Asked about potential alliances in 2026, Banerjee kept the door open for discussions but remained firm on the party's current stance.

"We are part of the INDIA bloc for a larger cause. But in Bengal, we have always fought alone and won. We will do it again," he added.

The TMC leader's remarks come amidst ongoing debates over opposition unity and alliance strategies ahead of the 2026 assembly polls.

Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, in a legislative party meeting on Monday, asserted that the party will return to power with a two-thirds majority in 2026 and ruled out any alliance with the Congress, as reported by the party's mouthpiece 'Jago Bangla'.

Referring to the recent AAP debacle in Delhi, Banerjee argued that BJP's "false narratives" had prevailed because AAP failed to counter them effectively.

"The BJP blocked the elected Delhi government from functioning, spread misinformation, and then campaigned that the AAP was ineffective. They put ministers in jail. How was the government supposed to function?" he questioned.

Mamata Banerjee had earlier said lack of coordination between Congress and AAP had contributed to BJP's victory in Delhi, a viewpoint Banerjee did not fully endorse.

Abhishek Banerjee drew parallels with West Bengal, alleging that the Centre deliberately withheld funds meant for the state and then accused the TMC government of financial mismanagement.

"They did the same in Bengal. They claimed to have sent funds while we were accused of withholding them. We reached out to 50 lakh people, explained the truth, and demanded a white paper from the Centre, which they failed to produce," he said.

On BJP's promise to increase the monthly stipend under the 'Lakshmir Bhandar' scheme to Rs 3,000 after the 2026 elections, Banerjee mocked the saffron party, saying, "The same people who once said they would scrap 'Lakshmir Bhandar' are now making promises to increase the amount. This is the victory of the 'Maa-Mati-Manush' ideology." Reacting to the Union Budget, Banerjee termed it "anti-Bengal" and alleged that the Centre was deliberately depriving the state.

"Nirmala Sitharaman's budget is designed to stall Bengal's progress. Bihar has been showered with allocations, while Bengal has been sidelined. It's a classic case of political discrimination. They offer 'laddoos' if you vote for them and neglect you if you don't," he claimed.

Criticising the Centre's tax relief measures, Banerjee alleged, "They talk about tax relief up to Rs 12 lakh, but GST is imposed on almost everything except water. Whatever they give with one hand, they take away with the other." On the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Banerjee accused the BJP of stifling opposition voices, referring to allegations that dissenting notes from opposition MPs were removed from the parliamentary committee report.

"This is what they do. They silence opposition voices. But people are watching," he remarked.

Earlier in the day, the report of the joint committee of Parliament on the Waqf Bill was tabled in the Rajya Sabha.

Opposition MPs led by Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that dissent notes were deleted from the report, a charge denied by Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. PTI BSM PNT MNB